Duluth woman says she shot husband in self-defense

DULUTH, Ga. -- Police are investigating a case where a woman says she shot her husband in self-defense early Tuesday morning in Duluth.

According to police, officers responded to a shooting around 4:40 a.m. at the Extended Stay Deluxe on Venture Parkway. They found Kia Yvette Jeffries, 37 outside of the hotel, with serious injuries to her head and face.

Jeffries told the officers that she had shot her husband, Earnest Mahir Abdul-Mateen, 46, in self-defense. Officers found the man lying in the hallway.

Both were taken to a local hospital to be treated for injuries, where Abdul-Mateen died shortly after arrival.

Homicide Unit detectives said Abdul-Mateen used a handgun to hit Jeffries multiple times until he became exhausted. Then, Jeffries grabbed the gun and shot Abdul-Mateen.

Police have not yet charged Jeffries, and no charges are pending. When the incident took place, Abdul-Mateen had active warrants against him from the Dunwoody Police Department for false imprisonment and battery stemming from a prior incidents.